Young People's Concerned Network FIJI

YPCN Fiji - The Voice of our Future

In Memorium

RABAKA - WE REMEMBER

Rabaka

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YPCN's response to today's report 24 Mar, 09- of Fiji's interim Police Commissioner Teleni saying that Youth's should put their lives in order "as they are the cause of disorder and that they should reflect a life like his"

*The problem in Fiji is not youth.

Teleni should look within his own house first . For one ,why did he not allow a treason complaint against him to be investigated? He is a product of militarisation & his recent comments &utterances have been unprofessional. Police Commissioners dont get up on podiums and tells youths they are the cause of Disorder and claim that they should practice his form of Christianity to be in order. That is not the role of a Police Commissioner.

Teleni has gone on record forcing his religious ideology upon other non-Christians in the police force.

He has done nothing about the countless number of Fiji citizens who get arrested & tortured everyday for nothing.

He does nothing about the rising terrorism targeted at pro-democracy activists

Who is Teleni to lecture youth? Perhaps Youth should be asking Teleni who was the cause of Fiji's cause of disorder?

Youths did not make the 4 coups this country has faced.

Youths did not kick out newspaper publishers, journalists and ambassadors out of Fiji.

Youths did not threaten activists through the media.

Youths did not make a mockery of the judiciary.

But Teleni is not capable of getting his facts straight. Current youth leaders would make better leaders in the police force and demonstrate a commitment to human rights and multiculturalism better than he has.

Youths can also better advise each other. Youths of today are not stupid. They know what they need to equip themselves with for a sustainable future and they are leading community initiatives around Fiji.

They dont need to be lectured by a 'product of militarisation'.

Press Release: Youth of Fiji sidelined in Rabaka release

DThe YPCN is disappointed with the release of men who were convicted for the death of Sakuisa Rabaka, a young man from Lautoka. The Release of the nine Soldiers and a police officer found of manslaughter is crime in itself.

The YPCN has since 2007 pushed for better standards for youth and inclusion as well as protection of young people in Fiji. We have used the memory of Rabaka as the corner stone of our work and fuel for our passion.

When Rabaka was admitted at the CWM hospital, Suva, a delegation of YPCN members visited the Rabaka and his family. We also argued that young people should not be detained just for been youth, as was the case at that time. We lobbied with many stakeholders even the than interim government for the immediate halt of youth hate crimes organised by the security forces.

Recently, we have been made aware that the murderers of Sakuisa Rabaka have been released over a Community Services Order and are in society. This is totally unfair, and speaks volumes of the value for youth in Fiji by those in authority.

The coup of 2006 was done in name of corruption and the release of coup sympathizers from prisons in Fiji has part of the coup agenda led by Voreqe Bainimarama. Now the leaders are releasing 9 murderers after 4 weeks in prison. How hypocritical and biased.

Young people who provided testimony in the Rabaka Trail are also directly in harms way, with four weeks been little time for any manslaughter prisoner to come to terms with anger and closure on emotions. The many youths who have been detained by the 9 Youth Killers will also brace themselves for sleepless nights. People convicted of youth hate crimes, must also be seriously dealt with and not allowed to roam our streets four weeks after they were convicted, for the death of a young Fiji Citizen.

Why are they different?

This is a human right violation and a miscarriage of justice. This act has made a mockery of the Justice System and placed even less trust the leadership of this country.

And than we have Pacific Island Prime Ministers of the Solomons and Tuvalu offering support to the Dictatorship we have. Is this the system they support, a system that strikes fear and intimidation into the lives of their own citizens. We call on the Leaders of the Pacific to get real with Fiji, and see the real picture and unite in means to progressively take us back to a Democracy. We owe this to the memory of Sakuisa Rabaka, our hero and the reason youth activism needs to continue under these strange circumstances.

For more information & details, contact YPCN Fiji

UNESCO concerned about media crackdown in Fiji

Paris, 17 April – The Director-General of UNESCO, Koïchiro Matsuura, today voiced grave concern about the suspension of press freedom in Fiji under thirty-day Public Emergency Regulations that came into force on 10 April.

According to the new regulations, editors are not allowed to publish or broadcast any material that shows the military in an unfavourable light. Sensitive stories must be approved by government officials before publication and media organizations ignoring these directives may be shut down.

“I am gravely concerned about press freedom in Fiji,” the Director-General declared. “The basic human right of freedom of expression, which underpins press freedom, is essential for democracy, good governance and rule of law. I urge the authorities to allow open debate that is always essential if lasting solutions to difficulties and disagreements are to be found.”

“Depriving people of news and information about events that affect them only breeds fear and suspicions. Such measures will not promote a solution to the nation’s social and political problems,” Mr Matsuura added.

The Public Emergency Regulations were proclaimed after Army Chief Commodore Frank Bainimarama was reinstated as Prime Minister and the President of Fiji, Ratu Josefa Iloilo, abolished the Constitution and dismissed judges who said that the island nation’s military government was illegal.

20/04/2009 8:16 AM

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